Control head for oil and gas wells



Jan. 20, 1931. 5.1-. E PAQD v 1,789,771 I CONTROL mm) FOR 011. AND alums Filed Sept. 10. 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2o, "1 931.

s. T. PEPPARD 1,789,771

CONTROL Hm]: FOR OYIL ANb eAs WELL mad Sept. 10.- 1929 ssho ets-sheet 2 HIII '4 Jan. 20, I931. s. T. PEPPARD 1,789,771

CONTROL HEAD- FOR OIL ANDGAS wELLs F'ned Sept. 10. 1929 IS'Sheets-Sheet 3 too,

J1. Jae guard.

' Patented Jen; 20,1931

UNITED STATES SAMUEL T. PEPPARD, OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA CONTROL HEAD FOR OIL AND GAS WELLS- Application med September '10, 1929, Serial No. 391,646.

This invention, relates to means for controlling the flow from oil or gas wells and particularly to certain improvements 1n the construction described and claimed in my application for patent, Serial No. 334,788, filed 0 January 24, 1929, on. Oil and gas well controls, in'which there is disclosed a cap for oil and gas wells so formed that 1t may be connected to an ordinary gate valve casing and which is adjustable toward or from the oil well casing and when closed against the oil well casing will prevent the flow OfOll therefrom and smother or extinguish the burning gas.

The general object of this invention is to provide a cap of the character stated whlch is shiftable toward or from the caslng by means operable from a distance if desired and, to provide a device-of this character which may be operatively connected to the casing, but left in a horizontal position until needed and then may be raised and the cap lowered to the cas in Another tfiiject is to provide a device of th1s character having a collar clamp adapted to be engaged around the casing or readily disengaged therefrom.

Still another object of the present lnvention is to provide a construction of this character in which the cap is composed of; two sections hingedly connected to each other, one of the sections being shiftable toward or from theother section, and which is capable of being clamped to the other section by nuts operable from a distance. r

A further object is to provide a construction of this character which will act as a blowout preventer by reason of the fact that it is adapted t6 clamp around a drill shank, a cable or an air line pipe andwhich is so formed as to bite into these elements if desired and support the elements and another object in this connection is to provide within the twosections of the cap either an annular split bushing having teeth to-engage the drill 'shank,,the airline pipe or cable or a solid bushing having a nipple and valve.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanyi ng drawings, wherein a Figure .1 is a top plan view of a control head constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof; .Figure 3 is a side elevation thereof; Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section thereof;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5'-5 of Figure 6 is a top plan view of the control head with one of the sections opened;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the means for locking the swinging section to the main section of the device, this figure belng partly in section;

*igure 8 is a cross section through the clamp and the legs of the head;

, Figure 9 is a top plan View of the construction shown in Figure 8 with the swinging door open.

' Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the well casing which at its upper end carries the usual collar 11, this collar projecting up above the upper end of the wellcasing and being internally threaded; Adapted to be disposed around the upper end of the easing and immediately below the collar is a two-part clamp, one ,section of which is designated '12-a-nd the other section 13, the section 13 being hinged to the section 12 by the interdigitating ears 14 and the usual pintle. The section 12 is formed with the outwardly projecting gudgeons 15 which pass through apertures 16 formed in the two Vertically disposed legs 17 of an approximately U-shaped frame whose construction will be later stated.

Washers 18 are disposed upon the ends of the these washers and into' the gudgeons, thus holding the legs 17 of the frame in place.

a plate 19 which is approximately arcuate in form and provided with ears 20 which extend over and have interdigitating lugs engaging with like lugs on the upper ends of the members 17 and held in engagement by removable pins 21.

Thus the plate 19 is removably engaged The legs 17 at their upper ends are joined by with the legs 17 and with the legs the plate which also houses and-supports a pinion 45 19 forms an approximately U-shaped frame, the middle portion of the frame having an arcuate opening 22. The legs are each provided with longitudinally extending slots 23 which extend up nearly to the upper ends of the legs.

Operating between the legs is the cap proper which is formed in two sections, one of these sections being designated generally 24. This section 24'is provided with the outwardly projecting ribs 25 which extend through the slots 23 whereby to guide the section 24 for longitudinal movement in said slots. 'Screws 26 extend into these ribs and carry washers 27 which are larger in diameter than the slots and thus the section 24 is held for sliding movement between the legs. The section 24 constitutes in eifecta jaw as will hereafter more fully appear, and coacting with the section 24 is a second or complementary jaw section 28. The jaw sections 24 and 28 are formed with'arcuate inner faces and when the jaw sections are closed, these sections define a cylindrical cap which is shiftable down into the upper end of the collar 11 and the upper end of the well casing 10. The lower ends of these jaw sections carry a gasket or packing 29 which, when the cap is lowered, engages the upper end of the collar 11 so as to provide a liquid and gas-tight engagement with the cap and the upper end' of the collar 11.

The sections 24 and28' at one side of' the bore are formed with interengaging hinge lugs 30 through which a tubular-sleeve 31 which constitutes a pintle passes. Diametrically opposite portion of the member 24 also carries upon it a tubular sleeve 32.

These sleeves extend down through-the entire length of the section 24 and form a casing for the elevating and lowering screws 35 and 36. The upper end of each of the sleeves 31 and 32 is outwardly flanged at 37. and fit in countersunk recesses formed in the upper face of the section 24 and are engaged with this section by means of screws 37' so that these sleeves are non-rotatable.

Pivoted upon the sleeve -32 for limited swinging movement are the eyes 38 of eye bolts 39, the shanks of these eye bolts being tangential to the eyes 38 and being screwthreaded for the reception of nuts 40 which are adapted to bear against a lug 41 formed upon the section 28,,through which lug the eye bolts 39 pass. The nuts 40 bearagainst the outer faces of the lugs 41 and it will be with. interfitting 4 a. tight joint will be formed between the confronting faces of the members 24 and 28.

Disposed over the nuts 40 is a houslng 44 portions 42 and 43 whereby disposed between and engageable with the teeth on the nuts 40, this pinion being mounted in bearings in the housing and having at its outer end a socket 46 which is universally jointed to the pinion and is adapted to receive a shaft whereby the pinion may be turned. The confronting end of the jaw section 28 is formed with notches 47 adapted to accommodate the eye bolts 39. When it is desired to close the jaw section 28 against the jaw section 24, the eyebolts'39 are swung to the left in Figure 5 carrying with it, of course, the housing 44.,

Then the jaw section 28 is closed and then the nuts with the housing 44 are swung back into place again and then by rotatin the gear wheel 45, the nuts may be screwed ome against the outer face of the lug 41, thus holding the jaw section 28 closed tightly against the jaw section 24.

The screws 35 and 36 are for the purpose of raising or lowering the main gate which is formed of the sections 24 and 28. To this end, the sleeves 31 and 43 are interiorly screw-threaded preferably'with square, relatively deep threads with which the threads on the screws 35 and 36 engage. Therefore, it will be seen that when the screws 35 and 36 are rotated in one direction, the main gate formed of the parts 24 and 28 will be lowered and when they are rotated in the other direction, the main gate will be raised.

For the purpose of rotating these screws, I provide the upper end of each screw with a sprocket wheel 33 and train over these sprocket wheels the sprocket chain 34, this sprocket chain being trained around the central opening of the main gate by means of the rollers 48. This s rocket chain also passes around a sprocket wheel 49 mounted upon a shaft having thereon the universally jointed socket 50 adapted to be engaged by an actuating shaft 51 which may be a crank shaft or which may extend to an desired point and be connected with manual y operatin means or to motor operated means whereby t e shaft may be rotated. The sprocket chain 34 and the gears 33 are preferably contained within a housing 52 of any suitable construction mounted upon the p'latc'19, the socket 50 extending out through an openin in the housing so as to be engaged by the s aft 51.

Adjacent the upper end of each section 24 and 28, is a groove 53 anddisp'osed in each of these grooves is a, semicircular bushing 54, the arcuate inner .face of which is toothed at 55, these teeth preferably in the form of ratchet teeth and sloping upward and inward. The abutting faces of the two sections oftthe bushing 54 carry packing 56 so as to form a tight joint between the abutting faces of these two sections and the abutting faces of the sections 24 and 28 also carry packing 57 for the same purpose. It will be detachable so that bushing sections having a greater or less interior diameter may be used to suit various exigencies of service. Thus, for instance, if the bushing sections are intended to clam bushing defined by the bushing sections will be very small. It the are intended to clamp around ipe, they wil be larger. If they are intended to clamp around a drill shank, the central opening will be of a size to fit the drill shank. Under some circumstances, there will be no central opening in the bush ing but the opening will be formed of two semi-circular sections which will fit tightly against each other-or these semi-circular sectionsinay, in other words, constitute practically a solid bushing. This solid bushing, of course will be used where. there are no tools in the well or a short nipple and valve canbe set within such a solid bushing or clamped by the semi-circular sectional bushings to cut off flow around a drill stem.

'ing the air line and holding it supported againstthe action of gravity.

The clamp sections 12 and 13 are hinged as at 14 as previously stated and these clamp sections may be held closed in any suitable manner. I have illustrated for this purpose,

however, the clamp sections 12 as being formed with the bi rcated'end 58 and having therein a pivoted T-shaped latch 59. The free end of the clamp section 13 is formed withshoulders 60 over which saidT-sha-ped end of the latch is adapted to engage, thus holdin the clamp closely engaged around the we 1 casing, as shown in Figure 8. The

any suitable characterand with pipes lead- 7 ing from the well.

course, when closed entirely close off the head or gate so that no gas or oil can escape. These outlets may be plugged in any suitable man-- These gate valves, of

ner if deemed leased to permit a new length of casing to be forced downward into the well. and then this control mechanism be'attached to the upper length of the casing. '.When the mechanism is in place, the cap ma be lowered into a horizontal position out o the way so that the drilling may he done as usual or the j cap ma be turned up intoa vertical posi- If it .be desired, the section '28 of thecap around a cable, the central may be swung outward and the well drilled or operated in the usual manner and then when desired, the section 28 may be swung "inward and closed against the section 24,

gripping the cable if a cable is being used in drilling or gripping the drill shank if other than drill tools are being used or gripping an air pipe if an air pipe is being used, at the same time entirely closing off the well pfoviding the cap is secured downward into coactive engagement with the upper end of the well casing or the collar 11 thereon. Thus this mechanism may be used for capping wells wherein there is a fire or in which there is danger of the well catching on fire and when put in place will smother the fire.

In actual use of this mechanism, the nuts 40 may be operated from a piston by vmeans of a shaft engaging the universally connectmay be manipulated a sufficient distancev from the burning well to permit the operators to work without being burned. This device can be manipulated so that it may be applied to a well after the well has-caught fire, the jaw 13 being open and cables being used to manipulate the control device into position with the jaw 12 against the upper end of the well casing and then the jaw 13 is ushed closed and the latch operated to loc -the jaws u on the well casing. The housing 44 may e pulled to one side, thus 'swingin the nuts to one side and the section 28 may. e swung closed, the nuts-40 manipulated'to lock the section closed and then the cap may be shiftedv downward so as to close the cap. 4 i

This device may be used when a well comes in as a gusher and may be installed either be- 1 fore or after the oil comes in. It has means by which oil and gas may be piped fromthe control after it is installed, and it may also be used in case the well should catch fire as v heretofore described. Obviously many minor changes might be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as This control mechanism may be readily supported from above so that 1t may be re- I defined in the appended claims.

I claim 1. A cont-rollingmechanism for oil and gas wells" including a casing head clamp, a frame 1 having legs pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement with the legs of..the

frame, means for locking the sections closed terdescribed including a casing head clamp, a frame having legs pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one having sliding engagement with the legs of the frame, means for locking the sections closed against each other, screws carried by the frame and having threaded engagement with the sliding section of the head, and means for operating said screws.

3. A-controlling mechanism of the character described including a casing head clamp, a frame having legs pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one having sliding engagement with the legs of the frame, means for locking the sections closed against each other, screws carried by the frame and having threaded engagement with the slidin section of the head, and means for operating said screws including sprocket wheels mounted upon the upper ends of the screws a sprocket wheel mounted upon the frame and having means whereby it may be engaged with an operating shaft, and a sprocket chain passing around said sprocket wheels.

4. A control mechanism for oil and gas wells including a casing head clamp, a frame having legs pivoted thereto, a head having sliding engagement with the frame and adapted to be shifted downward into gastight operative engagement with the casing, and means for vertically shifting the head including screws carried by the frame and having screw-threaded engagement with the head, gearing'whereby both of said screws may be simultaneously rotated in either di- 'rection, and means for operating said gearing.

5. A controlling head for oil and gas wells including a clamp adapted to be engaged with a well casing, a frame engaging with the clamp, a controlling head movable longitudinally on the frame, and means engaging with the frame and head whereby the head may be longitudinally shifted on the frame, the head being formed with two hlIIgGd-SGCtlOIlS, one of the sections having means to engage and lock with the other section in abutting relation.

.6. A controlling head for oil and gas wells including a clamp adapted to be engaged with a well casing, a frame engaging with the clamp, a controlling head movable longitudinally on the frame, and means engaging with the frame and head whereby the head may be longitudinally shifted on the frame, the head being formed ,with two hinged sections, one of the sections having means to engage and lock with the other section in abutting relation, said means being operable from a distance.

7. A controlling head for oil and gas wells including a clamp adapted to be engaged with a well casing, a frame engaging with the clamp, a controlling head movable'longiabutting relation, said means including swinging eye bolts on one section and carrying nuts, the other section having openended slots to receive said eye bolts.

8. A controlling head for oil and gas wells including a clamp adapted to be engaged with a well casing, a frame engaging with the clamp, a controlling head movable longitudinally on the frame, and means engaging with the frame and head whereby the head maybe longitudinally shifted on the frame, the head being formed with two hinged sections, one of the sections having means to engage and lock with the other section in abutting relation, said means including swinging eye bolts on one section and carrying nuts,-the other section having open-ended slots to receive said eye bolts, said nuts being peripherally toothed, and an intermediate pinion disposed between and meshing with said nuts and carrying a socket whereby it may be connected withan operating shaft.

9. A controlling head for oil and gas wells including a clamp adapted to' be engaged with a well casing, a frame engaging with the clamp, a controlling head movable longitudinally on the frame, means engaging with the frame and head whereby the head may be longitudinally shifted on the frame, the head being formed with two hinged sections, one

of the sections having means to engage and lock with the other section in abutting relation, said means including swinging eye bolts on one section and carrying nuts, the other section having open-ended slots to receive said eye bolts, said nuts being peripherally toothed, and an intermediate pinion disposed between and meshingmith said nuts and carrying a socket whereby it may be connected with an operating shaft, and a housing enclosing the'nuts and pinion and bodily movable on said eye bolts toward or from the head, the socket member on-the pinion extending out through said housing.

10. A controlling mechanism for gas and oil wells including a casing head clamp, a

frame pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement with the, frame, means for'locking the. sections closed against each other, means carried by the frame and engaging the sliding section of the head whereby both sec- ,oil wells including a casing head clamp, a frame pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement'with the frame, means for locking the sections closed against eachother,

means carried by the frame and engaging the sliding section of the head whereby both sections of the head may be raised or lowered,

' each of said sections being recessed upon its inner face and a bushing sect-ion detachably disposed in said recess.

12. A controlling mechanism for gas and oil wells including a casing head clamp, a

frame pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement with the frame, means for locking the sections closed against each other,

means carried by the frame and engaging the sliding section of the head whereby both sections of the head may be raised-orlowered.

the inner face of each section being recessed and bushing sections disposed in said recesses, each bushing section being 'arcuate and toothed upon its inner face.

13. A controlling mechanism for gas and oil wells including a casing head clamp, a frame pivoted thereto, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement with the frame, means for locking the sections closed against each other, means carried by the frame and engaging the sliding section of the. head whereby both sections of the head may be raised or lowered. the inner face of each section being recessed and bushing sections disposed in said rece'sses, each bushing section being arcuate and toothed upon its inner face, the confronting faces of the head sections and of the bushing sections having packing "to form a gas tight joint between the sections.

14. A controlling mechanism forgas and oil wells including a supporting frame -havin means whereb it ma be en a ed in an b b D upright position with the-upper end of. the casing, a head formed in two hinged sections, one section having sliding engagement with the frame, means for locking the sections.

closed againsteach other, screws carried by the frame and extending downward through the sliding section and having threaded op erative engagement therewith, and means for rotating said screws.

15. A controlling mechanism for-oil and gas wells including a frame having means whereby it may beengaged with the upper end of a well casing, a hollow head'formed of two sections, one of the sections having hinged engagement withthe other section, the last named section having sliding -engagement with the frame, a. tubular sleevecarried by the sliding section and extending teriorly screw-threaded, and screws'carricd by the frame and extending through the top thereof and having threaded engagement with the threads on the interior of, said sleeves, and means whereby said screws may be operated to raise or lower the frame.

' 16. A controlling mechanism-for gas and oil wells including a casing head clamp, an approximately U-shaped frame having its legs pivoted thereto, a tubular head formed of two sections, one of said sections having sliding engagement with the legs of the frame, the other of said sections being hinged to the sliding sectioinsaid section when closed being adaptedto be inserted into the upper end of the well casing and to have gas-tight engagement therewith, means on the frame having screw-threaded engagement with said sections whereby the sections may be raised and lowered, and means for locking the section-sin closed position, the means being releasable to permit the sections to be opened out, and toothed arcuate bushings carried by the sections adjacent the upper ends thereof and defining, when the sections are closed, a

.central aperture fitting against an element passing centrally downward L through the sections and into the casing.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

SAMUEL (T. .PEPPARD.

through the sliding section and the other see I tion to form a pintle therefor, the sleeve bein'g interiorly screw-threaded, a-second sleeve .q posit ly disposed to the first namedsleeve and extending downward through the slidand attached theretov and in- 

